Brussels is a beautiful city with friendly locals and good food, but you still need to be careful when it comes to places you should avoid at night and other warnings and dangers. While it might be an interesting idea to head to the Red Light District when you are in Brussels, you do need to be careful.
This area, which is near the Gare du Nord station, can provide some excitement, but it brings with it some dangers. Drug use is common here. In addition, the sidewalks are crowded with tourists and prostitutes.
One of the great things about Europe is the train system. There is a danger at the train station in Brussels that you need to be aware of, however. A bag is easy to pick up and run off with. Once in the crowd, it can be difficult to find the person who took your bag, and it could be gone for good.
Be sure to keep all of your possessions in sight at all times, and keep an eye out for specious characters. Like other large cities, Brussels has a problem with gang activity. These gangs work in groups to mug tourists.
There is no way to stay completely safe, but there are some tips to help you be less of a target. First, leave your expensive jewelry at home. Instead, make eye contact and then walk by them quickly. If they ask for a cigarette and you have one, give them one but then move on. Gare du Midi is another area where that you might want to avoid after dark. Tourists tend to be targeted for theft as well as other crimes. This seems to be especially true if you are American or are speaking English.
